College of the Canyons officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for the future Institute of Culinary Education (iCuE) building on the Valencia campus.

“We really are excited about this event,” COC spokesman Bruce Battle said. “Since the culinary program began at COC, it has had great response from students and faculty, but it needed a place to grow.”

The new building will be located to the south of Mentry Hall, where it will host laboratories, kitchens and classrooms.

“The program itself has been up against the limitations of the classrooms that we’ve been at,” Battle said. “We have had to cap it at smaller class sizes. Twelve thousand square feet is a lot of space to work with, and I expect every foot to be filled.”

Specific elements include a show kitchen, a savory kitchen, a sweets kitchen, a banquet kitchen, a wine studies classroom, multiple culinary labs and instructor office spaces.

“It’s nice to have a permanent home and new resources. We hope to see tremendous growth,” Battle said. “The classes and resources will be second to none. It’s a great facility.”

The $8 million construction cost is being covered by district general funds, donations, and Measure M bond funds.

“Today is a celebration of collaboration and partnership of what we’ve accomplished by working together,” COC Chancellor Diane G. Van Hook told a crowd of onlookers. “I want to thank all of you and congratulate you on your willingness to support us, so that we can serve our community in the best ways.”

Enrollment at private culinary institutions can cost $50,000 per year, while College of the Canyons costs $46 per unit, officials noted.

“Having an on-campus culinary facility will make a significant difference in the lives of students who are trying to manage their time between the classroom and the kitchen and begin their careers,” said Cindy Schwanke, COC culinary arts instructor and lead iCuE faculty member. “The food service industry continues to grow and employ millions of people. It’s exciting to know that College of the Canyons is a part of that.”

The building is scheduled to be completed during the Fall 2014 semester, with the first students being able to use it in Spring 2015.

“Everyone, enjoy the moment – all the chefs and students that came on their summer break. This is a moment,” Schwanke said. “I have two words that I want to steal from Oprah Winfrey: ‘Dream big. Dream big.’ Thank you, Chancellor Van Hook, for allowing me and inspiring me to dream big, allowing my team to dream big. Here it is, to dreaming big.”

– Jessica Boyer

Share this story:

COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

In an effort to make its art holdings more accessible to the public, The Broad, a contemporary art museum in Downtown Los Angeles, created The Un-Private Collection, an ongoing series of conversations with artists whose work is part of The Broad collection.

The storewide remodel of the Walmart Supercenter at 26471 Carl Boyer Drive is complete and, in addition to the many physical changes inside, Santa Clarita residents now have access to Online Grocery Pickup.

Le Chene French Cuisine, a long-time Santa Clarita local favorite restaurant along Sierra Highway, has announced that they will be hosting a thrilling Murder Mystery Dinner on Saturday, November 4th, 2017.

Signups are under way for the Santa Clarita Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which offers participants an opportunity to take a healthy stroll, experience outstanding live entertainment, honor loved ones who have been affected by Alzheimer’s and raise funds to battle the debilitating disease.

Trammell Crow Company (TCC) andand Clarion Partners are pleased to announce the acquisition of 54 acres of land for the development of The Center at Needham Ranch, a state-of-the-art business park in the city of Santa Clarita, CA.

For the first time in 99 years, a total eclipse of the sun will pass over the continental United States on August 21, and Princess Cruises guests sailing on six cruise ships in Alaska will be invited to special viewing parties as part of the cruise line’s exclusive Stargazing with Discovery at Sea program.

Caltrans today announced that 32 major “fix-it-first” transportation projects can be accelerated a year earlier than planned thanks to anticipated funding from Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.

Tonight on SCV NewsBreak, Sheriff’s deputies are continuing to conduct burglary suppression operations in our valley. Plus, Representative Steve Knight sat down with local law enforcement to discuss the current state and future role of policing in the SCV. Watch these stories and more on tonight's edition of SCV NewsBreak.

Senator Scott Wilk, R- Antelope Valley, today submitted a letter to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation during a public comment period regarding proposed regulations that could lead to the early release of dangerous "nonviolent" inmates and diminish victim rights.